08 January 2018

Palgrave
Macmillan has recently published a book on the influence of Magna Charta on the
legal history of New Zealand.

ABOUT THE BOOK

This volume is
the first to explore the vibrant history of Magna Carta in Aotearoa New
Zealand’s legal, political and popular culture. Readers will benefit from
in-depth analyses of the Charter’s reception along with explorations of its
roles in regard to larger constitutional themes.

The common
thread that binds the collection together is its exploration of what the
adoption of a medieval charter as part of New Zealand’s constitutional
arrangements has meant – and might mean – for a Pacific nation whose identity
remains in flux. The contributions to this volume are grouped around three
topics: remembrance and memorialization of Magna Carta; the reception of the
Charter by both Māori and non-Māori between 1840 and 2015; and reflection on
the roles that the Charter may yet play in future constitutional debate. This
collection provides evidence of the enduring attraction of Magna Carta, and its
importance as a platform of constitutional aspiration.